The Easiest Way to Build Credibility As A New Real Estate Investor

I’ll just say it—being a new real estate investor is tough. Not only are you trying to learn the ropes, but you’re learning those ropes as you go. Literally, you’re attempting to find, fund and flip deals while figuring out how to find, fund and flip deals. And, besides that, you’ve got people on both sides of the court—people who want to see you excel in this industry, and others who won’t give you the time of day.

It’s not that they don’t want to see you succeed, but these real estate insiders—the lenders, real estate agents and contractors, for starters—need to look out for their businesses, too. They’ve been there, done that with tons of would-be real estate investors and have wasted endless time and resources in the process. They need to protect their business and preserve their work and assets for investors who are going to get the job done—people who are going to close the deals and make these partners some serious revenue in the process. And it makes sense. They’ve got businesses to run, too.

It was something I struggled with early on. I knew I wanted to do this. I knew I had a Real Estate Investor Mindset. And I knew that, with my level of focus, passion and head-down determination, I would get ahead in this industry. But these guys have heard it all before so, I’m sure, I didn’t seem much different than other newbies. I was eager, but I was still green. For some, that’s exciting—my mentors and coaches, for example, appreciated my drive and determination. But outside of that inner circle, convincing people to help me shore up the resources I needed was a challenge.

What I didn’t know then? That there was a simple way to build my credibility that, likely, would have helped me get ahead earlier on. It’s something I didn’t know so, now, it’s my mission to make sure other newcomers see the light. That light? The easiest path to showing lenders and partners that you mean business—that you aren’t some fly-by-night investor.

Building Your Credibility FAST

So how do you do that? How do you prove you’re one of the good ones? That YOU’RE the real estate investor who’s poised for success, despite your lack of hands-on experience? By projecting a professional image—a company name and logo, website and social media presence, for starters—as well as a compelling real estate investor credibility package.

A real estate investor credibility package is, like the name suggests, a packet you assemble and present to lenders and other key partners. This package is meant to legitimize you and your business, helping make recipients feel good about working with you. Usually, these packets are folders or multi-page brochures. Inside, real estate investors include top line information that shows potential partners what you’re all about while reinforcing your ability to successfully close investment deals.

More often than not, you’ll wind up distributing these packages to private money lenders and, possibly, hard money lenders, so be sure content is geared towards a lender audience (more on what to include in a minute). However, many new real estate investors also distribute these packets to potential buyers and sellers, brokers and agents and more—anyone who needs a vote of confidence in your favor could potentially benefit from receiving a well-organized, well-articulated credibility package.

What Every Credibility Package Needs

While packets will differ slightly based on your market, the nature of your business—in other words, what type of real estate investing you’re going to be tackling—and your audience, most credibility packages are geared towards lenders, but you may have one that speaks to a more diverse, wider-reaching audience.

As you’re assembling yours, think about trust—what could you include that would make a potential lender or partner really trust you? For starters:

Personal and contact information

Every real estate investor credibility package should include personal and contact information. That means:

Full name

Name of business

Work phone number

Cell phone number

Email address

Website

Office address

Mission statement or brief company description

Buying philosophy—the types of deals you buy and flip, and WHY

Brief history of your company

Core services provided

Benefits to working with you

Testimonials from past customers, clients and partners

If you’ve flipped properties before—even if it’s just one or two—be sure to include short case studies in your package. Also, clearly articulate the process along with any successes—profits earned, deadlines met and any other noteworthy details surrounding those deals. If you can get a testimonial from a customer or partner, even better. Make sure that’s prominently integrated in your package.

While not required, I always recommend including an FAQ section in or delivered with your credibility package. This will help recipients see the unique points of differentiation between you and your competitors. It will also help answer any lingering questions they have after reviewing your packet. The more positively predisposed lenders, buyers and sellers are when they pick up the phone, the better. And that means the harder your credibility package can work, the closer to a great deal you’ll be.

How To Start Building Your Credibility Package

Ready to start assembling your package? Great! Start by pulling together some core assets—past successes, customer testimonials, company mission and philosophies and any descriptions or write ups you don’t already have on hand. Gather everything in one place so you can easily see where the holes are—then start plugging them. The faster you can get a quality credibility package together, the better.

If you’re feeling stuck, don’t worry. It’s like ripping off a band-aid—it’s painful, but then it’s done and you’re better for it. Enroll at the Nick Vertucci Real Estate Academy (NVREA) and we’ll help you get your thoughts together and your packet organized. Or bring what you’ve got assembled and pop by one of my upcoming seminars or workshops. We’re circling the country and meeting with new, established and prospective investors, and we’re always happy to answer questions and help attendees overcome any hurdles standing between them and lasting financial freedom.